2016-2021 CSEA Tentative Agreement Frequently Asked …

2016-2021 CSEA Tentative Agreement Frequently Asked Questions

Q) What are the base salary increases in the Tentative Agreement?

A) Fiscal Year 2016-2017 ? 2% retroactive to April 2016 Fiscal Year 2017-2018 ? 2% retroactive to April 2017 Fiscal Year 2018-2019 ? 2% Fiscal Year 2019-2020 ? 2% Fiscal Year 2020-2021 ? 2%

Q) When will the retroactive portion of the fiscal year 2016-2017 salary increase appear in my regular biweekly paycheck?

A) The State has historically included retroactive salary increases in employees' regular biweekly paychecks. Following ratification, there are several administrative steps that must occur before retroactive moneys can be paid. Then, the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) must process the payments. We do not know precisely when payments will occur. Regardless of when the monies are paid, checks will be fully retroactive to April 2, 2016.

Q) If ratified, how will the retroactive 2% increase be calculated if I retire or otherwise leave State service?

A) If you leave State service your retroactive compensation will be prorated based on the time you served in the CSEA bargaining unit position covered by the Tentative Agreement from April 2, 2016 through the date of your separation from State service.

Q) What are the new longevity payment amounts?

A) Starting in fiscal year 2019-2020 the 5 year annual longevity payment will be increased to $1,500 and the 10 year annual longevity payment will be increased to $3,000. Beginning in fiscal year 2020-2021 there will be a "new" 15 year annual longevity payment of $4,500. All longevities will be paid if the next contract is not settled in a timely manner. This will avoid what happened in October 2016 and April 2017 when newly eligible employees were not paid for their first ever or higher level longevity in a timely manner.

Q) If ratified, when will longevity payments that were held back be paid?

A) We anticipate that those longevity payments will be made when retro salary increases are paid.

Q) What is the change to the Overtime Rate Calculation?

A) There are 2080 hours in a workweek (52 weeks x 40 hours in a week). The State now calculates overtime using 2000 hours, and time and a half requires utilizing 2080 hours to determine your hourly rate, consistent with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). While the State could have attempted to unilaterally change this number, they negotiated this item with us. Our negotiations led to moving the number to 2080 by April 2019, which is consistent with the FLSA standard and continues to compensate employees at the time and a half rate for overtime hours worked.

Effective the first day of the pay period when the 2017-2018 salary increases are implemented, the number shall be changed from 2000 to 2040. Effective April 4, 2019, for employees on the administrative payroll and, effective March 29, 2019, for employees on the institutional payroll, the number shall be 2080. The State remains obligated to pay overtime at 1.5 times the hourly rate of pay. Although using 2,080 hours instead of 2,000 produces a slightly lower overtime rate based on your present salary?by a few cents?any impact is offset, and then some, by the raises.

Q) How do ISU members in OPWDD and OMH qualify for double time payments when working overtime?

A) After working 16 consecutive hours (actual time worked, charges to accruals, holidays, etc do not count toward the "hours worked"), employees in OPWDD and OMH in Direct Care titles mandated to work beyond the 16 consecutive hours shall be paid double time for time in excess of 16 hours.

The State and CSEA also agreed to create a subcommittee to review other state agencies with high overtime and discuss resolution to extreme overtime shifts.

Q) Does the Tentative Agreement continue to fund the joint contract committees?

A) Yes, the Tentative agreement increases funding for the joint contract committees by 2% in each fiscal year.

Q) When do Health Insurance changes go into effect?

A) It is important to note that there are no changes in health insurance benefits in 2016, 2017, or 2018. Negotiated Health Insurance changes begin January 1, 2019.

Q) Did negotiations result in a change to what New York State will contribute towards my health insurance?

A) No. The percentage of contribution the State makes towards employees bi-weekly health insurance premiums will remain the same for the duration of the 2016-2021 contract. CSEA member premium contributions will continue to be based upon the employee's salary grade.

Q) Is there still a program available to CSEA members that helps reduce what the employee contributes toward their health insurance premium?

A) Yes. CSEA members continue to have the ability to participate in the Productivity Enhancement Program (PEP). PEP allows employees to utilize accrued vacation and/or personal time in return for a biweekly credit which reduces their share of the New York State Health Insurance Premium (NYSHIP) premium. CSEA was successful in negotiating an increase effective January 1, 2019. The three days value of PEP will increase from $500 ($19.23/biweekly) to $600 (approx. $23.07/biweekly) and six days value will increase from $1,000 ($38.46/biweekly) to $1,200 (approx. $46.15 biweekly).

Q) Did CSEA obtain the ability to add a 2-person premium, instead of just individual and family premiums?

A) No. New York State continues to insist that it is not in the best interest of the Plan to change the current premium tiers.

A two-person option would result in a reduced premium tier. The family option (3+ family unit) would almost certainly see a significant increase in premium costs.

Based on the latest demographics of CSEA members with family health insurance the majority of family coverages are family units which cover 3 or more individuals. Should the family premium increase as a result of the creation of a 2-person premium tier, the end result would be a negative impact for CSEA family health insurance.

Q) I have been receiving the health insurance enrollment opt-out. Will this continue under the new contract?

A) Yes. The health insurance enrollment opt-out program will continue under the new contract.

Q) Do the copayment changes listed impact me if I am not enrolled in the Empire Plan, I am covered under a NYSHIP Health Maintenance Organization (HMO); i.e. CDPHP, Independent Health, Emblem Health, etc.

A) No. The NYSHIP HMOs are community rated and the benefit structure is determined by the HMO. CSEA does not negotiate the out-of-pocket cost sharing benefit structure with the HMOs. The copayments listed are Empire Plan specific.

Q) Are there any co-pay increases for medical issues?

A) Yes, co-payments are only increased one time during the life of the contract Some of those increases are:

? Participating Provider Office Visit/Office Surgery, Laboratory/Diagnostic Copayment and specialty providers will increase from $20 to $25 effective January 1, 2019.

? Empire Plan Emergency Room copayment will increase from $60 to $90 effective January 1, 2019. Emergency room copayments continue to be waived if the patient is admitted as an inpatient to the hospital. Urgent Care Centers continue to be less costly alternatives to the Emergency Room.

? Empire Plan network urgent care centers that participate with the medical carrier will increase from a $20 copayment to $30 effective January 1, 2019. (This is the majority of Empire Plan network urgent care centers)

? Empire Plan urgent care facilities owned by the hospital will increase from a $30 copayment to $40 effective January 1, 2019.

Q) I have heard that there is a program that allows employees to set aside money out of their paycheck to help pay medical expenses throughout the year. Will this program continue?

A) Yes. The Flexible Spending account will continue. The Flexible Spending Account allows employees to pay certain medical expenses (doctors, hospital, prescription, dental, vision, hearing, etc.) with pre-tax dollars. The Joint Committee on Health Benefits will work with New York State to improve how enrollees submit claims for reimbursement.

Q) Are there increases to drug co-payments?

A) There are some small increases as shown below. 86% of all CSEA prescriptions are filled by generics. Based on that information we were able to negotiate "no change", to that category of prescription drugs.

Up to 30-day Supply Retail/Mail

? Generic

$5

? Preferred

$25 ($30 - 1/1/19)

? Non-Preferred

$45 ($60 - 1/1/19)

Up to 90-day Supply Retail ? Generic ? Preferred ? Non-Preferred

$10 $50 ($60 - 1/1/19) $90 ($120 - 1/1/19)

Up to 90-day Supply Mail Order

? Generic

$5

? Preferred

$50 ($55 - 1/1/19)

? Non-Preferred

$90 ($110 - 1/1/19)

Q) Will I still be eligible to receive the prescription drug copay reimbursement through the CSEA Employee Benefit Fund (EBF)?

A) Yes. Once per calendar year, eligible CSEA state employees will still be able to secure drug copay reimbursements from the EBF. In fact, the reimbursement amount will be doubled, from $150 dollars to $300 dollars starting in calendar year 2019.

Q) Will I still have to fill two thirty day prescriptions when I change maintenance medication?

A) The "new to you" program will end under the negotiated contract. This program currently requires enrollees, trying to fill maintenance medication, to fill two 30-day prescriptions before they are allowed to obtain a 90-day prescription. The removal of this program benefits enrollees by allowing greater access to prescriptions and lower out-ofpocket expenses.

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